Positive thinking!

Cwtchie

Love this forum! Read it daily, just before I go to sleep usually, chills me out. I make lists all day on paper, and cross them off when done, gives me a sense of achieving something, so to be frugal I will stop wasting paper and write my lists on here.
To set the scene, me and DH, DS 21 DD19, my mum (next door), two dogs, one cat, and 5 horses. 5 horses because if I paid money for them they are my responsibility and i take it seriously, never parted with any, just one away on loan and has been for last 8 years, probably more at home there than with us now. So 6 in all, but 5 living with us.
Today consisted of, winning £10 on people's postcode lottery! 6 consecutive nsd (yay) two riding lessons for DD which were sponsored by a very kind lady who likes to see talented youngsters have an opportunity, seriously a very kind lady. Bacon rolls for lunch, rolls left over from DS picnic him and his GF (as of today they are officially in a relationship-it works differently these days) have bought for their two days away over new year. Tea was "everyone get your own I am shattered!" I had egg sandwiches. Bread was homemade in the bread maker.
Am reasonable up to date on the washing, been making sure I do 3 loads a day minimum if a backlog and otherwise clearing the basket.
Have loads of food in freezer, plenty of meat, frozen veg usually from reduced purchases.
Have got a mortgage and about 8k on credit cards, left over from when we had a menage put in last year. Would live to see it gone, so I can think about reducing the mortgage. At the moment am managing monthly not to get any deeper but need to tighten up and pay more than minimum payments and get it gone. Most of it goes each month because I can not stick to a flipping list!
DH works from home and so do I.
I apologise in advance for rattling on so much, but have found these boards so beneficial over the years that with the new year heading this way I really feel it's time for some positive thinking:)

Cwtchie

So tomorrow's plan:
Up early ish, feed, turnout, muckout. Hay delivery due £165 so make room in the barn. Muck heap also going £90 first time for 9 months so yay! Room again. Day off riding tomorrow as two very worked horses today and yesterday so a chill out day for them.
Big clean ready for new year, have this thing that if the house and yard and everything else is tidy and clean and sorted on New Year's Eve, then it will stay that way all year - positive thinking lol!
DS away tomorrow morning till Thursday night with his GF, DD also away from tomorrow lunchtime till Thursday lunchtime. Just me and DH at home, time for relaxation.
Will have to spend tomorrow, hay, muck heap, and need some feed, also need some milk, toilet rolls, washing power and a few other bits, but I am definitely sticking to the list.
DH and DS business picked up again today so good news there.
As soon as the £10 from the people postcode lottery hits my account I will transfer it to the credit card.
Pay day on Thursday so thank goodness for that.
Was much more careful this Christmas than any other but feels good, everyone was happy and content had some lovely gifts that everyone wanted.
Hopefully won't need diesel tomorrow as we do very little driving, town only 2 miles away.

Cwtchie

Well so far, horses fed, turned out and mucked out. Shopping done, stuck to the list other than....a pack of rolls, because I forgot to make bread this morning...which were reduced to half price for lunch. First time in my life I think I've stuck to a list! Funny how when I had to post on here if I hadnt it became important lol!
DS and DD have already left for their mini breaks, and hayman has not come yet, he says this afternoon. Well in an hour I need to go and bring in the horses and there are cars all in the way, because they've all been moved around out of the way of the hayman.
House is ish clean, well living and dining room that is, and washing more or less up to date.
Looking forward to a lovely quiet evening - is it my age?

Cwtchie

Feeling very achy now, time for hot shower, would love a bath but am cutting down on everything. Not sure what to have for tea, just me and DH so something quick and easy.
Hay all delivered in barn, mischievous pony ripped rug to pieces so tucked up tonight in a duvet and fleece, will have to manage for a few days like that as the price for a rug in the local farm shop is nearly twice as much as on epay so epay it is!
DS and DD have arrived at their destinations both very excited.
Have got a load of parcels on dining room table waiting for courier to collect, that will irritate me now till Friday.
Only one trailer load of muck heap taken so that will help with the cost there, so much more room, makes life a bit easier.
Raining a bit here now, heading over from direction of France which is unusual
Anyway Happy New Year To All :beer:

Cwtchie

Dark and dreary, rainy here to day, DS and DD home today, have missed them.
So housework= ironing! cooked dinner for tea consisting of mash chicken and Yorkshires. Feed, keeping in today due to the weather, muckout. Wash tail of monkey pony who gets in a mess due to his cushings. Clean house again as it felt lovely last night sitting down to a clean and tidy house.
Do more of my knitting, fair isle woolly hat for DD she has one but fancied another in a different colour. Great way to use up all my odds of wool, have said no more buying wool till all my odd bits are nearly gone.
Should be a NAD today.
Hoping to get everything done by 1/2 o'clock so I can sit down for a bit, chill out day hopefully.
Have updated spending diary from shopping yesterday, £10.98 on groceries and toiletries. £41.63 on horse feed, £165 on hay for month and £40 on muck heap removal. All comes as once
I will have worse days than others but the whole point of me writing all this down is to keep positive and keep watching the spends, overpaying when I can
The horses whilst a luxury are more of a commitment on my part and I couldn't see for,them to leave, two are 23 one is unwell, the other one is mine who I used to ride until advised not to due to my health, the other two are my daughters competition horses, regardless of what they do or don't they are my babies and I will strive for the best life possible for them (within reason.....I really could go overboard lol), the bathroom will still need replacing another day

Aloofdragon

Awww what a gorgeous life you lead it's like reading the old James Herriot books lol, I used to have horses as a child and my grandfather used to breed them, Mine was a gorgeous palomino she was just beautiful alas those days a long gone, the shires wandering round with carts on a Sunday etc. I guess your Welsh too with a name like Cwtchie, I am in the South bottom end of the valleys and yep its raining and grey here better than snow tho. Hope your year pans out just as you want it to, Happy new year x

AllyGW

Sounds lovely at your place Cwtchie (are you Welsh by any chance?) chicken and Yorkies here also, probably a teatime meal, wet & miserable here. Have to take the Westie out though, weather doesn't bother him at all lol, then back home for a quick tidy & a coffee before a quick visit to number 1 son. Want to get settled down for a good read this afternoon (free kindle books), happy new year everyone

MrsR68

Happy New Year Cwtchie.

Sounds like you are doing well.:)

Wet and grey in my part of Wales,will be out and about later talking my dog for a lovely long walk.

Cwtchie

How exciting! Visitors! Yes wales it is, south west wales, really rainy and windy this afternoon.
Not such a nice place to be today, but then to be honest as long as everyone is tucked up warm I do love a bit of wind and rain.
DD just arrived home, got changed and straight down the yard to do afternoon shift, DH already doing them for us. Think it maybe because I am cooking tea and he likes a proper dinner.
Have had to put the convection on in the microwave to do the Yorkshires because I refuse to rev up the rayburn just for them. Everything else has been slow cooked, potatos, chicken, sausage and stuffing in the oven on its basic core temperature of 100 degrees so can not justify heating it up for One thing.
Am running a bath for DH at moment because I can see him and he is drenched! so brownie points there I am sure.....unless I forget it and the water comes through the ceiling ....better check.............phew it's fine
So going to have tea, watch tv, Mr. deeds is currently on and relax.
Thank you for stopping by, have some virtual hot chocolate and roses

ScattySkewbald

Yay another horsey diary! Have subscribed

I know exactly where you're coming from with regards to the horses. I have 3 and they are my life. Non are ridden any longer but in my eyes it doesn't change a thing. The only way I'd ever consider parting with them is if I genuinely couldn't give them everything they needed and they were suffering as a consequence. I also have one with Cushings who tbh is the main reason the debt didn't get paid off last yr.


Happy new year Cwtchie!

Cwtchie

Beginning to feel a lot less guilty . Nice to meet you scattyskewbald
DS arrived home safely last night, had a fab time so all good.
DD in work all day for local riding school, DS and DH back to work today, albeit at home, but the good news is I can be more organised the bad news is no help with the animals, especially as my mum who although 70 loves mucking out, has gone shopping this morning.
Have got 5 Automatic water feeders ready to be plumbed into the stables (present from mum) but still need the pipes and connectors so shopping trip tomorrow, mum still paying as part of present . Will make such a difference we won't have to carry the tub tugs to empty them nor will we have to fill 5 twice as day if the horses are in, not a massive effort granted but it adds up.
So washing on, yard to do, back up by 11 for men's tea break, housework, accounts if time, then their lunch 1 - 1.40 then housework again and then back to do horses for 3.45 ish.
Sunny and colder here today hope it lasts!
Have a great all xx